Motion to Alter or Amend the Judgment Law and Legal Definition
This kind of motion is made by a party to the court for correcting a substantive error in the judgment, such as a manifest error of law or fact. Under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, a motion to alter or amend the judgment should be filed within ten days after the entry of judgment. This motion is not to be used for correcting clerical errors in a judgment. Errors that result in the judgment not reflecting the court's intention should be brought in a motion for relief from the judgment, which does not have the ten-day limitation. As a general rule, a motion to alter or amend the judgment is directed to substantive issues regarding the judgment.
